Bottle-stopper



(No Model.) I

- W, A. PALMER.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

No. 556,205. Patented Man-10,1896.

UNITED STATES .ATENT OFFICE.

lVILLlAM A. PALMER, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 556,205, dated March10, 1896.

Application filed July 15, 1895- Serial No. 556,040. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, haveinvented a new and useful Bottle- Stopper, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in bottle-stoppers, and has forits object to provide a simple, cheap, and effective stopper of suchconstruction that upon the filling of a bottle and the insertion of suchstopper it will be impossible to remove the contents of the bottle andrefill the same without visually indicating that such has been done.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in connection with abottle of any size and shape a glass stopper which will fit snuglywithin the interior of the neck of the bottle, said stopper beingprovided with a spring-catch which will engage a recess or socket in theneck of the bottle for retaining said stopper in place, whereby it isnecessary, in order to remove the contents of the bottle, to push saidstopper inward until it passes into the interior of the body of thebottle, whereupon the contents of such bottle may be extracted; but thestopper itself cannot be removed without breaking the bottle.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel features and detailsof construction and arrangement, as hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the drawings, and finally incorporated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in perspective theupper portion or neck of a bottle constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the glass stopper. Fig. 4 is a similar viewof the spring-catch which clasps around the glass stopper and holds thesame in place within the neck of the bottle.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a bottle of any desired size orshape, the same pushed through the neck of the bottle in a manner thatwill hereinafter appear.

For the purposes of carrying out the present invention the lower portionof the neck of the bottle is reduced in diameter as to its internalbore, as indicated at 2, in such manner as to form an annular shoulder 3at the base of the neck and a similar shoulder): arranged in a higherplane and forming a stop for limiting the extent to which an ordinarycork or rubber stopper may be inserted into the mouth of the bottle, asillustrated in the sectional View.

5 designates a reinforcing-bead which is formed upon the exteriorsurface of the neck of the bottle and in the same horizontal plane withthe internal annular shoulder 3, above referred to, the object of saidbead being of course to impart the necessary strength to the bottle atsuch point and prevent the accidental breaking of the same.

0 designates an offset or knob projection formed in the process ofmanufacture upon the exterior of the neck of the bottle, its purposebeing to admit of the formation within the interior of the neck of thebottle of an inclined notch or recess 7, the upper wall of which isdisposed in a substantially horizontal plane for the purpose of engagingthe springcatch of the glass stopper to be presently described, and 8represents an inclined notch disposed above the catch-notch 7 andleading thereto.

9 designates a substantially cylindrical glass stopper, the outsidediameter of which corresponds as nearly as practicable to the internaldiameter of the reduced portion of the neck of the bottle, so that saidstopper will fit snugly therein and prevent the pouring out of thecontents of the bottle when in place. This stopper is formed adjacent toits base with an annular groove 10, and is also provided with avertically-disposed recess 11.

12 designates a spring-catch, the same comprising a ring or loop portionwhich is adapted to clasp around the glass stopper and rest snuglywithin the annular groove therein, so as not to interfere with theinsertion of said stopper, and said spring also comprises avertically-disposed spring-arm portion which rests within the verticalrecess 11 in the stopper and is formed with an angular or L.-shapedcatch-lip 13, consisting of a horizontal portion and avertiCally-disposed cxtrcmity,as shown. \Vhen said spring-catch is inplace upon the stopper, the angular lip thereof projects normally beyondthe peripheral face of the stop per, while, by reason of the depth ofthe recess in which the catch lies, it is adapted to move inward farenough to allow the stopper to be inserted in the neck of the bottle andpushed entirely through the same when desired. This spring-catch ispreferably made from a single piece of wire, and this should be of puremetalsueh as, silver, nickel or aluminumin order to obviate theliability of corrosion when exposed to the action of chemicals orliquids of any kind that maybe placed in the bottle, and, if desired,this spring-catch may be made from flat spring metal.

In operation the glass stopper is inserted into the mouth of the bottleand moved downwardly into the reduced portion of the neck thereof untilthe spring-catch engages in the notch 7, above referred to. In thisposition the glass stopper effectually prevents the pouring out of thecontents of the bottle, and at the same time it will be impossible tomove said stopper outwardly. The ordinary cork or rubber stopper is nowinsertedin the mouth of the bottle and sealed in the usual manner forshipment. \Vhen it is desired to gain access to the contents of thebottle, the cork or rubber stopper is removed and pressure applied tothe glass stopper and the latter forced inward until it falls into theinterior of the body of the bottle. The contents of the bottle may nowbe poured out; but it will be impossible to remove the glass stopperwithout destroying the bottle, for the reason that the catch on saidstopper will engage with the annular shoulder 3 at the base of the neckof the bottle and effectually prevent the extraction thereof. The deviceabove described is designed for the protection of the manufacturers ofpatent medicines, brandies, liquors, &c., and Will eifectuall y preventthe refilling of the bottle with a spurious article without plainlyindicating that the bottle has been tampered with by reason of thepresence of the glass stopper within the body of the bottle.

It will be apparent that various changes in the form, proportion andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

llavin g thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described bottle-stopper, comprising a cylindrical bodyformed with an annular groove and with a recess offset from said groove,and a spring-catch consisting of a loop or ring portion resting withinsaid an- 11 ular groove and located within the plane of the peripheralsurface of the stopper, and an arm or extension workin within suchrecess and projecting normally beyond the periphery of the stopper andalso adapted to rceede into said recess, substantially as and f or thepurpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. PALMllli. Witnesses:

J anns l. KENNY, CHAS. K. Hour.

